TWO East Lancashire local authorities are stepping up their efforts to tackle homelessness and get rough sleepers off the streets.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been given £360,000 by the government to improve supported housing.

It hopes to use it to improve 600 properties to provide safe, good-quality homes for people in need of a roof over their heads.

Meanwhile Burnley Council has published its draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2020-2025.

It was approved by the authority’s executive this week and aims to take a series of measures, including helping those those still living with parents or family to remain at home and wait for social or private-rented housing; developing a package to resolve issues with private and social landlords including rent arrears, behaviour problems, and landlords wishing to sell properties; and create a new ‘Sanctuary Scheme’ to help domestic abuse victims to stay in their home with additional safety .

The strategy reveals that 627 people approached Burnley Council between July 2018 and June 2019 because they were homeless or threatened with homelessness of whom more than half had other support needs including mental health issues, drug and alcohol dependency; physical health or disability; a history of offending; repeat homelessness; one or more nights rough sleeping; and domestic abuse.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s grant is for a project to review housing providers and their support arrangements.

The study will concentrate on provision including for those at risk of or who have experienced homelessness; people recovering from drug or alcohol dependence; people with experience of the criminal justice system; young people with a support need (such as care leavers or teenage parents); people with mental ill-health; and autistic people needing support,

Council leader Cllr Mohammed Khan said: “We have a lot of privately-run short-term supported accommodation units within the borough so this is much-needed investment.

“It is important for us to work closely with providers to ensure that some of our most vulnerable citizens have somewhere safe to stay while receiving the support they need.”

The draft Burnley Council strategy says: "It makes good financial sense for the council to prevent homelessness, because the cost on services is high.”